Luna's Fall
by ancientdragonduelist
Summary: We all know what happened on the longest day of the thousandth year. But what about before then? What truly happened a thousand years ago? This is Celestia's story, of the day she lost her sister, Princess Luna, to a dark spirit named Nightmare Moon. One-shot.


**A/N: Okay everyone, my English paper is done, and I can return to work on _Secrets of the__ Everfree_**_**.**_** Seems a shame to let all that hard work go to waste though. :) This is my English paper, what grade do you think I deserve?**

* * *

Luna's Fall

"Luna!" I cried as my baby sister disappeared in a cloud of swirling black magic. I charged towards it, intent on dispersing the darkness or simply dragging Lulu out by her scruff. But as soon as I touched the black cloud, it kicked, hard. I was thrown against the far wall, which knocked the air from my lungs and my hooves out from under me. It took me a minute to get up, but it was a minute too long. When I finally regained my footing, it was too late.

The black cloud was gone, and had taken my sister with it. In her place stood a jet-black mare with cruel eyes and a mane that seemed to be made of the night sky. It had no discernible hairs, only billowing magic fields filled with glistening stars. The cutie mark on her flank that once displayed her beautiful moon silhouetted against a black sky, now shone bright blue, the former color of her fur. The mare's head was also armored, curving blue steel held tight to her horn and then draped over her neck. Perhaps worst of all, this mare's eyes were filled with unbridled hatred. It was like… Luna's dark side.

"Luna!" I cried again, more in shock than fear. "What's happened to you?"

The dark mare snorted in derision. "Luna? What a pathetic name for an immortal Alicorn. I am _Nightmare Moon_!"

I took a step back, trembling. "Sister? Something's wrong, you're not yourself."

The dark pony reared to her full height. "Am I? Perhaps these are my true colors! Perhaps I am stronger than the pathetic weakling that once dwelled in this body. However, it is certain that I will shroud the land in eternal night!" she declared, reveling in her own power.

I felt anger welling up within me. Whatever Luna had become, it wasn't good. "I don't know what's gotten into you Luna, but you are not the sole ruler, and night does _not _last forever! Harmony must be maintained throughout the land."

This time my possessed sister laughed manically, as if what I had said was the funniest thing in the world. "Harmony?! There has never been any Harmony in Equestria! Not since the first rising of the sun and moon!"

"What are you talking about sister? We brought the harmony to the land when we sealed Discord in stone."

"So it would seem from your glorious point of view." Nightmare Moon sneered. "Not once have you or any of our so-called subjects even glanced upon our beautiful night. That changes now! At last our work will be known!"

A bit of pit stirred within me. No pony was giving Luna any attention? "Lulu," I tried, using her childhood nickname, "our subjects love us because of the light and harmony we bright them. Attempting to force yourself upon them will only bring hatred and fear."

Nightmare Moon roared in rage. "Do not call us that! We are Nightmare Moon! We do not need love! All the ponies will cower before us for their indifference!"

A protective fire took hold of me. No one threatens My Little Ponies! "Luna, step down at once! I do not wish to fight, but will if I must!" To illustrate my point, I flared my wings and let power surge through my horn.

Nightmare Moon laughed once more. "Then let's see if there is any strength within the beloved Princess Celestia!" Then she charged.

As scary as Luna looked, she was still my little sister. I know a few things she doesn't. When the evil pony charged, I waited until she was a heartbeat away, then teleported. Nightmare Moon hit the cold stone wall at full speed, stunning her. I used this to my full advantage. While the dark spirit was weakened and disoriented, I lowered my horn to Luna's, and prepared to enter her mind. I would find this Nightmare Moon, and purge her from my sister forever. I thought it would be easy. "I'm coming Lulu." I whispered under my breath, and plunged into her memories.

* * *

It is very strange being within somepony else's mind. Without strong magic and lots of skill, you can easily end up a forgotten idea, lost to the eternity of space. Yet I knew what to do, and willed myself to the earliest memory where I could sense darkness. I would find the first hoofhold of the Demon, and tear them out of my sister! With one final breath to steady my nerves, I plunged into the corrupted memory.

I emerged from the darkness ready to fight anything from a Dragon to a Basilisk. I found… laughter? Looking down, I saw could see Luna and me playing together. We are wrestling, giggling, having fun. We haven't done this since the first time we raised the sun and moon for the ponies of Equestria. Everypony had loved my sun so much, they had thrown us a massive celebration. We were still on such a high from the festivities, and just acting like foals again. It couldn't last forever though, and eventually I trotted off to bed. Luna however, went galloping off to the balcony, to raise her moon.

I have never seen such joy and excitement in my sister's face! There seemed to be a glow from within her as she brought forth the shining moon, and crafted the night sky. Intricate patterns of stars woven across the endless black canvas… It was beautiful, truly beautiful. I briefly wondered why I had never stayed up to watch the moon rise, and a cold feeling gripped my stomach. Dread filled me as Luna finished her work, and called out for the citizens of Equestria to witness her night. We both stayed there until dawn, but the only noise we ever heard was the lonely echoes of her joyful call.

Suddenly, I felt reality itself lurch beneath me. The Spirit! It was trying to banish me from Luna's mind! I beat my wings as fast as I could, but the powerful magic flow would not be denied. The last I saw of that memory was Luna slowly walking off to her bedroom, disappointment evident on her face, as my sun climbed the west horizon. Somewhere below, the citizens of Canterlot began to wake, ready to welcome the return of their glorious sun and its princess.

Getting caught in this memory stream was less like an ocean, and more like a whirlpool. Torrents of raw magical energy were swirling around me, making level flight all but impossible. It was all I could do to keep my bearing, and attempt to enter a few random memories. I saw an empty and abandoned Lunar court room, fleeting images of a moonlit field, and, most hauntingly, several images of tear-soaked pillows. Right before the spirit would've cast me from Luna's mind, I managed to enter one last memory.

It took a moment to re-orientate myself. When I could tell where I was, I gasped. I was in the throne room, and the night sky shone above. This had to be from just minutes ago! Luna is sitting on her throne, shaking under untold agony. How long has this loneliness been eating away at her, sucking away the once abundant happiness within? How long since she had truly felt… happy? For a moment, tears slipped down my sister's muzzle, only to be furiously wiped away. Before I could react, the sound of thundering hooves filled the room.

Luna and mine eye's snapped up. There stood the me of a few minutes ago, and I did not look happy.

"Sister, it is time for the dawn. Lower the moon."

I was shocked at how insensitive I sounded. My voice sounded so robotic, so unemotional. Like my only sister, the last of my family even, was just a chore to check off my list for the day. Now I not only understood why Luna had shuddered in front of me, I shuddered with her. Oh, how badly I wish I could go back and change this!

"No." Luna's tortued, weakened voice croaked out.

My past self paused in confusion. "What?" I'm not sure if I honestly hadn't heard her, or just didn't believe what I heard.

"I will not lower the moon." My sister's voice was still cracked, but gaining strength. Below her, Black Magic started bubbling on the ground.

Finally, _finally,_ my past self allowed concern to cross her face. "Why not?" The confused mare stepped forward. "Luna, what's wrong?"

The dark magic had formed a pool beneath my sister, and was beginning to swirl. "The subjects will not stay awake for our night, so we are bringing it to them." Determination and Anger could be heard in her tone.

My past self raised a hoof, ready to begin a lecture. I panicked, and tried everything I could to stop myself. I beat at her with my hooves, stabbed at her with my hooves, but it was no use. This had already happened. "Luna, the subjects need the sun. Without it, the crops would fail, the ponies would grow cold, and…" To the ears of my past, I was explaining why Luna needed to lower the moon. To my sister, I was listing off reasons why I was so much more lovable and important than her. The anger within could be contained no longer.

"**Those puny subjects need nothing!"** Luna bellowed in the Royal Canterlot Voice. The black magic beneath burst through, engulfing my sister faster than a snowflake in a fireplace. I heard myself cry out, saw myself charge, but I was no longer there. I was floating in the air, as dreadful new information filled my mind. My baby sister had been hurting, crying at night even! I never noticed, never gave her a hug, never did my job as a sister. Even worse, when Luna had made one last desperate cry for help to the last pony she trusted, I had shoved her over the edge into the spirit's waiting jaws. When said spirit found me, I had no energy to resist as I was purged from Luna's mind and thrown to my own.

I fell back from Nightmare Moon, trembling helplessly. The dark mare that had once been my sister stood up, her strength returned. "Luna… I'm sorry…" I whimpered, unable to say more. The raw guilt and sorrow was gripping my very soul. No compassion or pity appeared on my sister's face. She was well and truly, Nightmare Moon.

"We have no time to deal with quivering foals." The evil pony declared, "The new order must be known! Finally, eternal night shall fill Equestria!" With that, the dark Alicorn teleported away, like the last fleeting image of a horrible nightmare. It was several minutes before I could stand, but when I did, a plan came to me. The Elements of Harmony! Those six magical gems held more power than anything in Equestria! If anything could purge Luna of this evil spirit, they could. I feverently hoped that they could. The worst nightmare I could ever imagine was going through life without my Lulu.

* * *

When I finally reached the royal balcony with the Elements, panic had filled the streets of Canterlot. Ponies were rushing all over, calling for then sun, calling for me. Once more, I felt the protective fire of a mother fill me. My Little Ponies were in danger, and I would do anything to save them! "Nightmare Moon!" I called, "Step down! Your reign is at an end!"

The dark pony turned, and cackled. "Finally found the courage to face me dear sister? It's about time!" Nightmare Moon wasn't just ready for a fight, she was expecting one.

"I will purge Equestria of your evil, and I will purge my Luna of _you_!" I yelled, and activated the Elements of Harmony.

Too late, I felt something was wrong. Instead of an all-powerful Rainbow energy filling me, like the last time I used the Elements, I felt strained, weakened, as if I were forcing the Elements to activate against their will. Suddenly scared of a failure, I attempted to pull back, and de-activate their power. So I will forever remember the next few moments.

The six Elements were beaming a type of pinkish lightning between themselves. _My_ power! That wouldn't be enough to cure Luna, I had already proven that. With a desperate cry, I leapt at the Elements, hoping to knock them into chaos and stop the spell. Time itself seemed to slow down as I approached the rapidly charging gems. Right as my hooves were about to reach the Element of Kindness, they fired, and the world disappeared in their bright, cleansing light. The last thing I heard of the agonized scream of Nightmare Moon.

When I awoke, Nightmare Moon was gone, and the Elements were no longer gems. In their place fell six stone spheres. There were no longer any indications of their power, save for the etchings of what lay within on their face. Suddenly horrified, I leapt up, searching the area for something, _anything_ that remained of Nightmare Moon. Yet with each passing second my heart filled with dread. It couldn't be true, it _couldn't_! Finally, I could deny my fears no longer, and looked up at the waning moon. The vague image of an Alicorn pony was now etched in its craters.

I broke down crying, sobbing my heart out. The Elements of Harmony had succeeded in their first task, of purging Equestria of the evil of Nightmare Moon. But to do that, it had had simply gotten rid of the entire pony. It used an ancient banishing spell that _couldn't _be undone! My sister… My little Lulu was sealed within her own moon forever! I would never see her again. Forevermore, I would be cursed to raise the moon, gaze at its craters, and know that I killed the one pony who meant everything to me. Through my heartbroken sobbing, I forced out a few, final words. "Luna… forgive me…"


End file.
